Sands and Seduction
by Nyrababe
Summary: Radiation does funny things to people, and when it can make you the god of a post apocalyptic world you cant help but appreciate it. But it had its draw backs too, yet could he really call THIS a draw back when she was singing his name through her moans?
1. Chapter 1

He didn't need the old geezers telling him what to do. He was the leader of this village, if you wanted to call it that. Perhaps the term fort would be best situated for the place he and the 'villagers' made their home. In truth it could almost be called tribe with how people acted now. It was to be marveled at how a total social break down had returned people to a different state.

The place he called home was little more than a fortress of sorts, built around a collection of oasis over a natural spring in the desert. They had managed to tap into it and set up a home in the land, fortifying it in case anyone tried to pillage it, and they had tried more then once. Every time proving that the fortress was here to stay, marking the landscape it sat upon.

When the bombs first dropped it had to be 4 years ago today. Nuclear fallout had poisoned and killed half the human population within days. If the fall out didn't kill you then the new plagues and mutated animals might've. But in retrospect not all fell so quickly otherwise him and the other survivors would be dead too. Indeed for some the radiation became a boon instead of a biological curse, although for many they were still a biological time bomb.

He had been 14 when the bombs dropped, just hitting the ideal yet most dangerous time for the radiation to reach him. He would admit it was good timing though, puberty changed the body, changed the mind as it went through its final big change from childhood to adulthood. Most kids his age were dead now, the radiation preying on the old and the young easiest. Even now birth rates were dangerously low and slightly one sided with the female population being lower than the male, one of the elders, a previous doctor, theorized it was due to the flux in radiation, it made no sense to him but he never really cared to listen.

He overlooked the desert with a hawk's eye sight, the land itself serving as his weapon. He had mutated himself, although it appeared he was more stable seeing as he hadn't died yet from his own genetic twist. He controlled sand, and his element surrounded everything here.

At first he had been more than hesitant to allow the once pack of wandering survivors anywhere near him. They had found him, challenged him, and he had proven himself dangerous, but in spite of this one of the old bags of expired flesh brought about the idea of making him their leader. He had thought it completely foolish to even suppose they could trust him, but it wasn't above his head that they could do the heavy work for him, and all he'd need to do was keep the dangers away. Quickly he found it equally as fun to direct them to set things up as he wanted them, and now he had this 'tribe', he had thought that a better word now, of survivors at his beck and whim. It usually brought his mood up when he thought about the power he had right now. Being from the slum before the wars, this power made him feel like a god.

Yet with this power came annoyances he put serious thought into eliminating. He was 'chief' as you could call it, leader, god and master of the desert sands. Yet the old sacks of soon to be dead meat pryed their noses into his business, telling him things he should do. Like could care less about old world types of politics. It was a time of survive or die no middle ground to be had, kill or be killed. Yet he knew they had a point, not a good one mind you and one that in honesty was rather insulting. One that stung his pride and made him put additional thought into getting rid of them now.

It hadn't been much he came from his shelter at the highest point in the fortress, built into its very walls, and had gone to the center shelter, he hated the damn elders but the sooner he listened to them the sooner he could shut them up and remind them why **he** was leader. Priding him-self even more as people back away and bowed to him. The pride could snuff out the dread he had ignored and reclused to the far corners of his mind. After 4 years of beatings not many modern clothes were intact, however people had found fabrics along their travels and now wore them like robes around their filthy bodies, water being too precious a resource to waste bathing constantly so the dust and dirty clung to their sweaty bodies, their robes normally dirty and torn in places, worn down while his stayed in fine condition. Blood red silk sash and slightly darker colored cotton pants, he wore no shoes, no need to really. His red hair brushed the back of his neck as he walked and pushed the flap of the tent open.

He had been greeted by a similar sight and glared at the old geezer's making his displeasure at being summoned well know "What do you want?" he asked in his normal deep yet slightly raspy voice, mutation didn't come without some draw backs.

"Please take a seat **Lord **Gaara." An old woman said, putting emphasis on the title as a weak way to try and appease him, the old sacks took him for a fool. Mistake two of the day aside from summoning him. She growled but moved over to where he sat, purposefully set up on most of the tribe's best luxuries.

"I won't ask again." He stated looking around and took note of the nervousness that befell them. While some was normal this amount of discomfort at coming clean about the subject was interesting, he enjoyed watching them squirm.

The older woman which had addressed him earlier, Chio was her name last he bothered to care, cleared her throat "**Lord **Gaara. We've **requested** you join us to discuss a matter of which had kept the village in binds recently." He didn't respond so she took this as her cue to continue "As everyone has noticed the ratio of our population has been tipped for some time. The radiation whipped out most of.."

This is where he tuned out, he knew about this issue but why would he care? It was their problem not his, part of him said it was his problem since he did pride himself as a leader and it was sort of his duty to help but there was nothing he could do about it. He listened to the hag drag on about how they had contacted other 'villages', this irked him but he remained stoic, and about how they too were facing similar issues blah blah blah. He didn't care about the so called issue, however he was interested when she explained that all the ones they had contacted were lead similarly, a mutant survivor, typically a stable one, leading the regular humans. One was a man named Naruto who commanded the 'village of leaves' which had wind manipulation, another was an entire family changed over, which set up a village of only their own, letting few other live there calling themselves 'The Uchiha Compound', another similar one was called 'The Hyuga Holding', all with unique powers.

But what got to him most was when they had the gusto to openly talk about **him** taking a wife. Of all things to openly discuss without any word from him. More so referencing it to how the Naruto fellow was wedding a Hyuga girl. He growled openly, they were talking about something else now but still along the same lines.

"Do you have a death wish?" he asked straight out. They looked at him, many paling.

"N-no sir! It's just with the population so low.." one woman began but Chio cut her off.

"The numbers of the village are steadily declining. You agreed to be the leader **lord** Gaara," he was sure she had a death wish now with how she said it so mockingly "And as such a leader needs to take to responsibility of displaying power in more than one way. You could kill me where I stand and you probably want to right now! But it makes no difference in the problem were facing right now. I'm old, but those who are young and strong can still prosper. And while theirs still life in these old bones I'll do my dandiest to see it happen that way. You are a mutant, but you're strong, built to survive, that's what the human race needs right now."

Gaara wasn't sure if he was more insulted, pissed, flabbergasted, or the dreaded feeling of ashamed at her outburst towards him. He was never a man of words but even he was struck wordless. This old, defenceless crone had just scolded him and put him down in front of a group of on lookers. He was caught between wanting to sever her old limbs to tearing this shelter apart. But deep down inside he knew she was right, that and her pointing out he power and not dismissing how easily he could kill her right now gave her a shred of his respect.

Enough at least to keep her alive, for now.

"You are a brave old hag." He growled and everyone jumped as he got up suddenly and left, Chio thanking the gods she was still standing.

"Chio you must be mad!"

"I don't doubt that in the slightest right now, but he'll have to get over it. Sakura is already making her journey here."


	2. The arriving threat

Sorry about the poor spelling last time guys, I was up waaaay longer then I should have been.

'_If this wind doesn't die down we may never find the village'_ Sakura thought to herself as her and her friends walked through a mild sandstorm. Their bodies covered by heavy cloaks which protected them from the whipping sands, her jade eyes covered by a set of goggles, although a deteriorating pair.

They had been asked to visit 'The village in the Sands' on the elder's requests. She, Naruto, and their father figure Kakashi had been walking for almost a week now and she was getting tired, they all were and if the storm didn't let up they may never make it.

Their job was simple, meet and make and appearance at the village, Naruto was to discuss some things between the villages, mostly joint issues they might have and be able to solve. Being like a father to Naruto and her Kakashi had joined them to become Naruto's voice of reason and advisor when debating, and to help Sakura cope with her mission.

She was to meet the Lord of Sands himself, Gaara, and attempt to get along with him. She had agreed to be a citizen of Naruto's village; the two were great friends since childhood. But Like her friend and father figure Sakura was a mutant, one that had more influential men of this time begging for her and the rest an immense amount of respect.

Sakura had the power to heal, to fix any injury, any illness with a caress of her hand. She had studied to be a doctor before the war and it so happen her passion to heal became her power as well. She had saved countless lives, many of which followed Naruto now and fixed once incurable diseases. She would be the first to admit she didn't fully understand her powers but they had been able to identify a source and a possible reason for it. She had been exposed to so much radiation she should be dead, however evolution works in odd ways and now her body absorbed radiation and converted it into an energy which the body could fuel a drastic healing process and her body could even use it to power her incredible super human strength. Able to shatter tree's with a single punch. Thankfully there was no lack of radiation to be found in this wasteland of a world they called home.

But the most disturbing part of her mission was that she had to consider courting him. In reality it was a mutual choice although he could try and try as he might to win her over but to no avail. She doubt any of this would happen or work out. Though, even more so for the Sand demon to actually go along with this, she was well aware of why they wanted her to do this, but this was 2023. Were it 200 years ago maybe she wouldn't protest but even though the world had ended human rights were still there. She would be damned before she let them make her decisions for her.

No, Sakura did not expect Gaara to actually go along with this, certainly she planned to meet him, if only once for the entire duration of this meeting but that was all she would push for. Besides she knew that in a place like this people would be sick, and she had made it her soul mission to heal anyone she found sick, regardless of who they were or what they had done. A regiment of when she had been a red cross worker.

The winds began to wind down now and she brushed a few strands from her face, surprised to see the village in sight now. Well at least she thought it was the village she saw through her dusty goggles, some dust from the cracks in her goggles had plastered to the glass making things a bit tricky to see. Naruto gave a happy yell to finally have their destination in sights and Kakashi told him to keep his voice down in case of mutated sand worms. In truth they were a type of snake but nobody really bothered to attempt a name change. Old movie names died hard.

Sakura pulled off her goggles and used her red shirt to try and clear the dust, the wind being gone provided clear sight for them until it came back again. It was then she noticed the sand moving ahead. Had Naruto really attracted a Sand worm so easily and soon? She tugged on her gloves, dropping her goggle's and shouted a warning. Kakashi had already seen it but Naruto had been taken off guard as they lept away from a sudden raw wave of sand. Directing her power to her legs she made a clean leap away. Her cloak rippling through the open air as she moved and slumped down again when she landed.

Kakashi had jumped the same way she had and was now shouting "It's not a sand worm! It's just sand waves, source unknown!" he shouted, breaking down his speech to technical terms as to get the point across fast.

This changed things, a Sand Worm was a problem but it could be identified and she cold presumably hit it. But this raised new questions: What was it? Could it be hit? Was it poisonous? How would it move? How did it detect prey? And Why weren't they warned about it?

"Naruto behind you!" she shouted seeing another wave coming at her friend from behind. He looked over at her and shouted back "Sakura look out!"

If she couldn't see it and he could then it had to be behind her. She did another jump and the wave crashed down in a dusty spray where she had been standing. Now blinded by dust she had no idea where it would strike next. She had to try and scare whatever it was below. Sand was a dense material when lying flat, and a blinding one when flying, but when loose it could be shaken, earthquakes in sand areas could swallow buildings. She'd have to shake things up a bit then.

Leaping into the air above the cloud she draw her power into her fist, being sure to ready her legs for a hard landing and protect her hand with the same power to ready for the shockwaves her arm would feel. "Jump!" she shouted and both men lept as her fist collided with the ground and shockwaves rippled through the ground.

On the other end the perpetrator of this attack, Gaara, shivered like he was the one feeling the shockwaves run through him and in a way he did. He had sent the sand to try and scare them off, he didn't care if people died, and he wanted them gone. This was his territory and he felt threatened by anyone with more influence than him. How hard cold they be to kill? He hadn't expected one of them to be capable of such leaps and evasions though. Whoever had just hit the ground had sent a shock wave that could even make it to him, shaking him to the core.

A huge part of him hated that. He was the boss around here, nobody else, if they could do that than they were a threat to him and his authority. Yet another part of him felt exhilarated. Not only did the idea of a person that's power make him feel threatened it made him feel alive. The idea of a challenge gave him a rush of energy. He want to meet this person, kill them, and relish in their blood. Then he could really feel powerful.

He watched the 3 figures collect themselves out in the desert, his eyes wide and a grin on his face that only meant death to the subject of his rush. After all, if taking a life was a duty of the gods, then what greater power is their then killing?


	3. We have arrived

Sakura, Kakashi and Naruto were more than glad to finally get into then village. People rushed over to meet the new comers and see if they brought anything with them. Sakura looked over the dirty people and wondered what life must be like out here where the dunes rolled like hills. Naruto had given her his goggles since here's were lost in the sands after the attack, a gift she was thankful for as the glass was tinted so you could not see where she was looking, giving her the freedom to stare is she wished and mull about her thoughts.

The elders approached Kakashi with welcoming words and greetings, eager to meet them and hear news of the world outside Gaara's domain.

Naruto stayed next to Sakura and was less subtle with his curiosity, asking questions and loving the attention brought to him, yet it didn't go over his head how people seemed to also fear him and Sakura, being of mutant nature this was normal, but still saddening.

A disturbance in the crowd drew everyone's attention as Gaara approached and the crowd parted out of his way like Moses and the Red sea. The man looked over everyone, not bothering to give the elders their usual death glare as he was preoccupied with the new comers in front of him.

Naturally his gaze went to the eldest, Kakashi and looked him over, the cloak hid much of his body but what wasn't covered of his face was noticeable. He had one eye covered leading Gaara to assume he had lost the other, his hair was white so another assumption could be made Kakashi might be a mutant but he felt no power from him. Gaara was slightly curious of him but labeled him as another lesser mutant, a person which had been mutated but to no great benefit.

Naruto was closest to him from there, and upon actually looking he realized he knew him. Not closely but he knew who he was. They had attended different schools but when a storm had damaged Naruto's school the students were temporarily sent to new locations. Naruto had been an outcast like him, but they never took the time to know each other and even now Gaara had really no interest in him. Well, none he'd openly admit. He did know that he was supposed to be an upper class demon like himself but he seemed more harmless then the elder man who was eyeing him carefully.

Finally the last person was the female, presumably the one the elders had told him he was to mate. The biggest thing that stood out on her was the pink hair, a mutation or dye he didn't know. He hadn't bothered to learn her name at the meeting and even now he didn't really care to know. But what did interest him was the mystery she carried. He couldn't see her eyes right now which irked him and the cloak hid her body so he had no idea what else she looked like. He could also feel something on her but he didn't know what and it certainly didn't feel threatening. It excited and angered him knowing one of them stopped his sands but he didn't know who, they all seemed just so weak.

"This is Gaara of The Sands, Gaara this is Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura of Konoha." Said one elder stepping forth to introduce the group, Sakura had been looking over the Sand Demon so awhile and he seemed irked with her. Why she didn't know but wasn't in the mood to trifle with him and hoped it would pass. She didn't like him, he was dangerous she knew and he felt it too, she had no idea what he was capable of.

She took off her goggles and his eyes snapped right to her looking right in her eyes. It took her off guard at first but locked eyes with him all the same. The act felt challenging she knew, and was probably taken that way, a dangerous and foolish thing for anyone to do with a high class demon. But she did it all the same because it seemed like the right thing to do as crazy as it sounded to her logical brain. It was like he was daring her to shy away like everyone else, daring her to creep behind the others and submit. He was calling her weak with his eyes.

And she didn't like it.

She wasn't going to challenge him, no, but she was standing her ground. She was going to show this punk she wasn't some wussy little girl. She was strong and destructive and she would damn well let it be known that while she might not have the raw natural power he did, she was smart enough to not need it.

Gaara was impressed; she was actually standing up to him. Normally in less than half a second a person with sense would be backing off and cowering like many of the people near him. Yet here she was, a little girl matching his gaze, this changed things. He wasn't sure if he was pleased to find somebody who could look match his gaze but what he did know was he did want to make her back down. Remind her who he was.


End file.
